Concealed Adorations
by Chupa
Summary: In Harry's 7th year he finds himself secretly falling for Ginny Weasley. How can he win her heart, and will it be worth it? H/G, R/H, N/L. Maybe more soon. Please R/R (Book 5 spoilers)
1. The Infatuation

Authors Note: I do not take credit for anything but the plot! This is my very first fan fic so please Read and Review! Let me know if I should bother continuing it : ) Thank you!  
  
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"I love you" he said, as he took her hand. His eyes were shaking, but they glowed with sincerity. They had been through so much.  
  
After Lord Voldemort had regained power, the wizarding world had gone haywire. There was no control anymore. The risk of their world becoming exposed to muggles was slowly growing, as more and more attacks occurred. Voldemort and the Death eaters had become more powerful than ever before. Dumbledore was the only wizard that Voldemort still feared, and he remained here at the school.  
  
Here at Hogwarts was their only sanctuary. Over the past few summers they had lost many students, but any that remained would return each fall. The guardians of each student knew that school was much safer than home.  
  
As a friend had once told Harry, no pureblood family existed anymore. Everyone had muggle blood in them, making them all targets. Harry himself had seen the last pureblood wizard die in his fourth year.  
  
Voldemort's mission no longer made sense to Harry, and he tried to forget the pain in the world whenever he was here at Hogwarts. Here he could try to ignore the things he had been though and the horrible losses he had witnessed. The families of his classmates were dropping like flies around him. It seemed that everyday a student was called to Dumbledore's office only to receive devastating news. In this way, Harry often felt lucky. He had nothing to lose.  
  
The only people in the wizarding world that Harry truly cared for were right here at school with him. Of course, Harry had the members of the Order, but they had no time for visits. Owls were their only means of communication, and sometimes Harry needed more than that.  
  
He longed to see the familiar faces of Lupin or Tonks again, and he counted down the days until Christmas when he might once more visit the burrow.  
  
Harry sometimes had dreams that things had changed: He was living with Lupin, a life filled with laughter and joy. Friends surrounded him and had become his family. Sometimes Sirius was even there as a ghost, and he co-existed delightfully with them all.  
  
But these dreams were nightmares to Harry. They tortured him with the thought that they were so distant from reality. How could things ever be so cheerful again?  
  
Harry had grown to admire Lupin nearly as much as he had once admired Sirius, but he was now fighting against Voldemort's people and trying to bring this war to an end. He didn't even have time for owls.  
  
It was during times like these that Harry felt the most alone. His friends had helped him through the rougher moments recurrently, but they were often busy leading their own lives.  
  
It was a time when he had felt incredibly lost; the day he had really noticed the girl that sat across from him today. She was gorgeous, kind, passionate, and perfect. Completely and entirely perfect.  
  
******************************************************************** *FLASHBACK*  
  
"So she actually said Ron was going to die?" exclaimed Hermione with extreme disgust. Harry and Ron were recounting Trelawny's most recent predictions. Ever since Hermione had dropped out of the class in their third year, they always tried to provide her with the most amusing parts of their time in the tower. "Will she ever give up on you two!? She said Harry would die a long time ago, and he's certainly still alive!"  
  
"Oh come off it Hermione! It's hilarious! The old bat and Firenze are always disagreeing too. Great fun to watch really." Ron said, grinning. "You don't have to get so worked up about it. We know we aren't going to die anytime soon, so it's funny! Does that word mean anything to you?" Hermione glared at him as she set down her fork.  
  
"Well I know you think it's funny Ron. You think everything's a joke! All I'm trying to say is that a teacher who is constantly telling her students that they will die should not be employed as a teacher in this school! Especially during times like these! Normal students might become terrified! "  
  
"Are you implying that Harry and I are not normal students?" argued Ron.  
  
"Could you pass the potatoes?" interrupted Harry. Lately it felt as though he was in the middle of a never ending battle between Hermione and Ron. It seemed like they just couldn't manage to get along anymore.  
  
"Don't you agree Harry? She could be seriously frightening some of the younger students. Not everyone is as brave as you. They might believe her!" Hermione insisted as she passed him the bowl of mashed potatoes.  
  
"Be carefull what you say to that Harry. We wouldn't want her starting up anymore organizations. The next one could be S.U.A.F.T! Students United Against Frightening Teachers!" Ron chuckled to himself. Harry couldn't help but crack a smile. Despite everything that was wrong in the world, Ron never seemed to lose his sense of humour.  
  
Harry looked at the bowl of potatoes, then quickly changed his mind. "I think I'm going to go to bed early. I didn't get much sleep last night. Weird dreams again." he muttered. "I'll see you two tomorrow".  
  
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"You look dreadful Mr.Potter!" the fat lady exclaimed as Harry approached her. "Oh.erm.thanks." Harry murmured uncomfortably. "Gibbity jibbity". The portrait hole swung open, and he crawled through.  
  
The common room was empty other than a few boys playing chess beside the fire and a small red haired girl sitting in the corner reading a book. Ginny Weasley was often here alone in the evenings. Harry sometimes wondered if Hermione had influenced her too much. Ginny seemed to have developed a new adoration for the school library. She looked up as Harry entered the room.  
  
"Hello Ginny" he called kindly to her.  
  
"Hiya Harry. All right?" she replied warmly.  
  
"Just a little tired. What are you reading?" he asked as he walked over to join her on the common room couch. She held up the book so that he could see the words 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' printed on the front cover.  
  
"What are you reading that for?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I've finished Hogwarts: a History, as well as 'Old and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms' so I thought I'd try something new." she shrugged. "Hermione recommended them to me. I don't really have much else to do. Most of my old friends aren't really around anymore. Besides, I quite like reading." She said as she returned her glance to a page in the book.  
  
Harry could not imagine being at Hogwarts without his friends. Poor Ginny. Her closest mates had stopped coming to the school only this year. Although Ron and Hermione bickered endlessly, Harry was grateful for their presence.  
  
"Gin?" Harry said in a subdued voice, as she glanced back up at him.  
  
"Yes Harry?" she replied.  
  
"You're always welcome to hang out with us you know. We'd all enjoy your company. I know Neville and Luna have gone home for Halloween, but that doesn't mean you have to temporarily hide" he said.  
  
"Oh Harry! I didn't stop hanging out with you just because Neville and Luna aren't around!" Ginny exclaimed.  
  
"Oh" said Harry embarrassedly. "I was afraid maybe you thought you were only welcome if they were around too.or something" he trailed off.  
  
"I know I'm welcome" said Ginny smiling sweetly. "To be completely honest with you, I was kind of avoiding the great hall because of Charlie. He didn't take our break up very well, and I didn't want to deal with any more apologies and crying. He was really becoming a rather large nuisance." she concluded.  
  
"You broke up!?" Harry exclaimed, sounding far more shocked than he intended to. Charlie had been Ginny's recent Hufflepuff boyfriend. He was a seventh year like Harry who was known to be a bit of a wimp.  
  
"Oh yes. I thought you knew?" said Ginny calmly. "We just weren't right for each other. Not at all. Plus, I really couldn't take any more complaining. He really is a wimp you know". She turned a page in her book.  
  
Harry smiled jovially, completely disregarding the fact that he had been terribly grumpy minutes ago. He couldn't explain his sensation of relief, but in that moment he found himself truly appreciating the beauty of the common room.  
  
They sat in silence for a few moments until Ron and Hermione entered the room, still undoubtedly arguing. Hermione turned straight up the stairs to the girl's dormitory with a quick good night wave to Harry and Ginny, completely ignoring Ron's existence.  
  
"I'm heading to bed" said Ron sharply.  
  
"I'm coming too" said Harry. With a quick goodnight to Ginny, he followed Ron up the stairs, still smiling uncontrollably.  
  
"What's gotten into you?" asked Ron curiously as he noticed the grin on Harry's face. "I thought you were mad at us?"  
  
"Huh?" said Harry, snapping suddenly out of his trance. "Oh that. Well, don't worry about it. Night!" he said jumping under his covers.  
  
For the first night in weeks, Harry drifted into a peaceful and soothing sleep. 


	2. Misleading Occurences

Authors Note: Thanks so much to all of my incredibly kind reviewers! I really appreciate all of your comments, and I'll try to work on making the story better. Sorry about the confusing beginning. I hope you've managed to figure it out! It's my first fan fic, it's a learning experience ;)  
  
I own nothing but the plot. Thanks!  
  
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When Harry awoke the next morning, his strange sensation of relief was still strong. He looked around the dormitory to see that he was alone, and concluded that everyone must be eating breakfast in the great hall. He dressed himself quickly in his robes, and hurried down to the empty common room. The fire was burning warmly and the room had an incredibly cozy feeling. It finally felt like autumn had come.  
  
As he walked down the corridor towards the great hall, he couldn't help but wonder why he felt so excessively content. Ginny would hopefully be joining their 'group' again, but so what? His newfound sense of satisfaction could not be based solely on that fact. Or could it? No. 'It couldn't be' he convinced himself. It was because Neville and Luna would be returning today.  
  
Students didn't often leave for Halloween, but during these times it was so good to see family again, they jumped at every opportunity. His friends would be back, and he would no longer be stuck listening to the ceaseless arguments that took place in their absence. Yes, that was why he felt so happy.  
  
"Harry" called a dreamy voice from behind him. He turned to see the bobbing blonde hair of Luna Lovegood, a girl who had unexpectedly become one of his closest friends over the past few years. She was certainly an odd girl who was recognized by most as 'Loony Luna', but Harry had come to quite enjoy her company.  
  
"Hello Luna!" he chirruped happily. "How was the vacation?"  
  
"Oh lovely! It really was. Dad's been teaching me all about the maternal instincts of the Mackled Malaclaw. They're absolutely fascinating!" she replied, eyes wandering up to the ceiling and then back to Harry again. "I'm hungry" she added.  
  
"Me too" Harry said, smiling to himself. Luna was a terribly random conversationalist. "How about we head to the Great Hall?" he asked.  
  
"If you want to" she said, taking the lead and marching ahead of him down the hallway. "I'm in the mood for some chocolate chip pancakes myself, how about you?"  
  
"That sure sounds good" he replied honestly.  
  
They walked together down the hallway, parting ways only when they reached the Great hall. Without the slightest goodbye, Luna walked straight over to the Ravenclaw table. Harry stopped his hand mid-goodbye wave, giving up on ever having normal human interactions with her. She sure was crazy, but he'd come to not care in the slightest.  
  
He spotted Hermione, Ron and Neville sitting at the far end of the hall, and headed in their direction. Ginny appeared to be absent, but he convinced himself that it didn't make a difference. She would come again when she was ready. He certainly hoped it was soon.  
  
"Harry!" shouted Neville, as he sat down beside him. "Good to see you again mate!"  
  
"You too Neville!" he said in a similar cheerful voice, grabbing a small bowl of fruit salad.  
  
"Stop it!" Hermione suddenly giggled. Harry glanced up at her. She was grinning mischievously at Ron, who was finished his breakfast and scribbling onto a piece of parchment. Hermione was trying to pull his arm away from the parchment, but he was apparently determined to keep writing. The smile on his face spread from ear to ear.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Harry, confused. They seemed to have forgotten their disagreements from the night before.  
  
"Dear Krummykins" Ron read aloud. "It pains me to have to tell you this, but I've found someone new. I cannot continue to live a lie. My heart belongs to."  
  
"RON! Don't you dare send that to him!" Hermione shrieked, but her tone was not upset. She was certainly enjoying Ron's joke, although she attempted (unsuccessfully) to disguise her voice with anger. "He'll know it's not me. I don't write like that".  
  
"My deepest condolences" continued Ron, "I'll miss your Krummy face, and your Krummy quiddich skills. I'll even miss."  
  
"Ronald Weasley you stop that now!" Hermione shrieked again.  
  
Harry was astonished. Over night they had gone from fighting to this. It appeared to him as complete and total flirting, but what did he know? He had seen them behave like this over the years, but it never advanced to anything. Harry had always been positive that Ron cared for Hermione very strongly, but Hermione was harder to read. She was Harry's best friend, but no matter what, she was a girl. Girls were the one thing Harry just couldn't understand.  
  
"Nutters they are" muttered Neville to Harry. "Right out of their minds!".  
  
"For sure" Harry agreed, taking his last bite of breakfast and standing up. "I'm going to go and grab my school books. Class will be starting any minute"  
  
"I'll come too" said Neville, and they headed out of the Great hall, glancing back as Ron laughed loudly. They marched back up to the common room, and prepared themselves for the first class of the day.  
  
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Ginny did not join them for dinner that night, nor was she in the common room when Harry headed up to bed early again. He had hoped to chat with her, but she seemed to have disappeared completely.  
  
He sat himself down on the common room couch, trying to decide where she could be. Drifting into his thoughts, he did not notice her enter the room with her arms full of books.  
  
"YIKES!" he yelled as he flew up to his feet. A pile of books had just magically landed with a thump beside him, scaring him half to death.  
  
"Sorry to scare you Harry!" said Ginny, smiling with her ever sweet smile, and staring up at him from her seat on the couch. "I thought you heard me come in"  
  
"It's alright" he said shakily, trying to think straight again. He found himself abruptly at a loss for words as he saw Ginny's hair shining in the light of the fire, and her eyes twinkling softly. His stomach churned unexpectedly, with a frighteningly familiar feeling.  
  
"I just got back from the library. I discovered a whole new section that I'd never even noticed before! Look at this!" she said, holding up 'Where there's a wand, there's a way'. "It's written by one of my favorite authors"  
  
"Uh.um." he said, slowly recollecting his composure. "Why did you need so many books?" he said stupidly.  
  
"Oh they're not all for me silly! They're for Hermione! I like books, but not that much" she said with a very Weasley-esque chuckle. "You can sit back down Harry" she added. "I don't bite."  
  
At those words his stomach churned again, and he found himself completely unable to bend his knees. What on earth was going on? 'It's just Ginny' he thought. 'Little Ginny Weasley, Ron's sweet little sister'. His thoughts were horribly un-comforting, and he heard himself saying "I think I better just go to bed".  
  
He did not hear her goodnight as he hurried up the stairs, and he did not see her watching him leave. As he crawled into bed, he did not see 'little Ginny Weasley' collecting her books and sighing before heading up to bed. He also didn't see the tear trickling down her face. 


	3. Unexpected Confrontation

A/N: Sorry it took me a few days to write this. I've been working on a plan for the plot. I wanted to make sure this story was going somewhere. I've got it all figured out now, so I'll be sure to write whenever I can.  
  
Thanks again to my reviewers. Review again if you'd like. I know I'd like that!  
  
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The next few weeks passed in a blur for Harry. He followed the same general routine of: eat, attend classes, do homework, eat, do homework and finally sleep. Some nights his schedule was interrupted by Quidditch practice. Normally this was a relief, but in his final year it was crucial that he didn't fall behind.  
  
When he was present at practices, he was always thrilled to be there. The sensation of cool breezes blowing through his hair, and the freedom he felt as he flew around the pitch were enough to make his worries disappear. In those moments, he felt disengaged from the world, cut loose from priorities and problems.  
  
At the beginning of the year, Harry had been offered the position of Quidditch captain, but he had turned it down immediately. The members of the team were his friends, and he could not imagine lecturing them. The position had then been given to Ron, who had improved impeccably since their fifth year. He was certainly the best Keeper in the school, and being captain seemed to motivate him immensely.  
  
Besides Quidditch, Harry didn't see Ginny very much. He had decided that it was for the best to temporarily avoid contact with her. He hoped to wait only until his feelings had subsided. He knew that it was too much to risk to take action on foolish emotions, especially when they concerned his best friend's sister.  
  
Some evenings he spoke to her casually at dinner, surrounded by friends. Here he could adore her without worrying that his feelings could be detected. Ginny was his friend, and nobody would find it suspicious that he was speaking to her. Besides, Ron wasn't very perceptive when it came to other people's emotions. He certainly didn't deal with Hermione very well!  
  
One evening in early November, Harry's plan failed. He was feeling overrun and exhausted from his busy homework schedule and decided to go up to bed early. As he reached the portrait of the fat lady he head footsteps and panting coming from behind him. He turned to see the angelic face of Ginny, who had obviously run all the way from the Great hall.  
  
"H.Ha.Harry" she said, catching her breath. "C.Could I talk to you for a minute?" she asked, looking terribly hopeful.  
  
"Of course Ginny!" he replied enthusiastically. Oh why was she so bewitching! For a moment he felt willing to do anything she asked, until he remembered his plan. He must not fall for Ginny. She was Ron's sister.  
  
They entered the common room and headed to the seats by the fire. As soon as Ginny caught her breath she rushed into conversation. "Harry, you never talk to me anymore! What's going on? I feel like you've been avoiding me all month! I thought we were friends, but you always have some excuse and then you leave and." she paused for a breath. "And I miss you".  
Harry was completely taken aback. Her adorable eyes stared at him, and he could see that she was being completely serious. "I.I haven't meant to avoid you Ginny" he said slowly.  
  
"You have Harry! You must have" she said, on the verge of tears. "What did I do? Please just tell me what I did so that I can change it. I didn't mean to make you mad."  
  
"Ginny! I'm not mad at you! I could never be mad at you!" he said honestly. "I've just been so busy with homework. I haven't had much time to chat. I'm sorry I made you upset"  
  
She sat quietly for a minute, obviously contemplating what he had said. Eventually she looked back up at him, appearing content with his explanation. "You promise that was all?" she asked.  
  
"I promise." he lied.  
  
"Wow" she said, her ears turning bright red. "I must seem like a real crazy person right about now" she laughed. "Sorry I reacted so much. I just.thought I'd done something wrong."  
  
"No problem Ginny. I've missed you too" he said.  
  
They sat in silence. Ginny gazed into the fire, deep in thought. Her eyes twinkled exquisitely. Harry could be mistaken, but she still seemed to be upset. He hoped he hadn't been too harsh in avoiding her. He certainly did not want to loose Ginny as a friend. Of course, he had been avoiding her because he didn't want to lose Ron as a friend either.  
  
"I better go to bed now" said Ginny, breaking the silence. "Good night Harry. See you at breakfast" she added, with a somewhat artificial smile.  
  
"Good night Ginny. Sorry, again" he replied.  
  
"Don't be sorry Harry. Just forget this conversation ever happened" she said, still with that false smile. "Goodnight" she said again, and headed up the stairs.  
  
Harry sat alone for only a minute, until Hermione crawled cautiously through the portrait hole. She glanced around before walking over to Harry.  
  
"Has Ginny already gone to bed?" she asked.  
  
"Yes." He replied. "Why? Should she still be awake?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"Did she talk to you Harry? Did she ask you about what you've been doing?" she inquired.  
  
"Hermione! What do you have to do with this?" he asked, angrily. If girls weren't too busy giggling, they were gossiping!  
  
"Oh Harry! If you don't want my help I won't offer it. Ginny is a girl, and I also happen to be one. You obviously don't know what to do about her, and maybe I could give you some.suggestions?" she responded, just as sharply as he had asked.  
  
"Well.umm." Harry stumbled. Hermione was a girl, and she probably knew what she was talking about. Maybe she could help him get over this? She couldn't tell Ron though. She just couldn't. "Alright Hermione, suggest away."  
  
"Well I was thinking you had better take action. How will she ever know you care about her if you don't let her know? Ask her on the next Hogsmeade trip. Yes, that would be great." Hermione started, enjoying every word.  
  
"Hold on a second!" Harry interrupted. "How do you know that I care about Ginny? I mean, what on earth gave you that idea? Where is this all coming from!?" he asked, startled and annoyed. How could Hermione know so much?  
  
"Oh Harry! I'm far more perceptive than you realize. Your little 'avoiding her' thing was incredibly obvious. Besides that, I can see the look in your eyes when you talk to her. You never used to look at her like that." Hermone said. "I knew I could be wrong.but, well."  
  
"You're Hermione?" he interrupted. "You're never wrong are you? Well maybe this will be a first because I don't like Ginny" he said pointedly.  
  
"Alright" she said, smiling. "You just keep up what you've been doing then. You obviously don't care if you're upsetting her."  
  
"I do care! I don't want to hurt her anymore, just tell me how to make her happy again!" he begged.  
  
"If you want her to be happy, ask her to Hogsmeade this week. That's all I can think of. Of course, since you don't like her, you wouldn't want to do that. I guess you can't make her happy! Tough luck Harry! G'night." she said, and headed up the stairs to the girls dormitory, grinning.  
  
"Hermione!" he called out. It was useless. He had never seen Hermione acting so girly and immature. He hated everything about her in that moment, but as he crawled into bed 10 minutes later he couldn't help but wonder if she was right. Should he ask Ginny to go to Hogsmeade with him?  
  
"I'd sure like that" he mumbled to himself, drifting again into a dream- filled sleep. 


	4. Accidental Invitation

A/N: Thanks to my Reviewers, I appreciate everything you've said. I love that you're all so positive and your points are constructive. I know the story's moving a little slow but I promise the pace will pick up a lot in Chapter 5 ;)  
  
Read and review! When people stop reviewing I lose the motivation to keep writing. Help me keep the story going!  
  
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When Harry woke up the next morning, he knew exactly what he had to do. The solution was simple. He couldn't understand why it hadn't occurred to him before! He simply had to talk to Ginny and tell her what was going on. If he explained to her that he had a teeny tiny crush and that he had been avoiding her to get over it, she would understand. It wasn't like she had a crush on him anymore. She would probably just laugh at him. Maybe she'd be rude enough to make him stop liking her. Oh that would be perfect.  
  
He prepared his speech all day long. During potions he accidentally added crushed Fwooper heart to his potion instead of Flobberworm mucus. Snape was still convinced that Harry had cheated on his OWL's in fifth year, and embarrassed him in front of the class as much as possible.  
  
He also found himself mumbling a lot. People stared at him strangely during Transfiguration, and McGonagall eventually asked him if he had something to tell the class.  
  
By dinner, he knew what to tell Ginny. His only task was to find a way to talk to her alone. Hermione was the only thing he could think of that could distract Ron for long enough. He decided to talk to her.  
  
"I need to speak with Ginny alone tonight. I was hoping you could keep Ron in the Great hall for a while after I leave?" he asked before they headed downstairs.  
  
"You need to talk to her privately?" Hermione squealed. She was positively delighted at the idea. "Of course Harry. I'll stall him for as long as I can. I'm sure I can give you plently of time to.say what you need to say" she said with a large wink.  
  
"Erm.thanks 'Mione. I knew I could count on you" he replied. It was best to let her think whatever she wanted of the situation. This would all be over soon.  
  
They sat down at the table and began to eat immediately. Ginny did not join them, but sat at the other end of the table chatting with Lavender, Seamus and Dean. Harry hoped she would go to the common room soon. His anticipation made it difficult to chew his food properly.  
  
As the meal dragged on, Harry worried that she might sit at that table forever. She was chatting away gleefully with Dean, smiling her adorable smile. Harry was sure he liked Ginny's smile the most. Next to her gorgeous twinkling eyes of course. Her personality beat everything though. She was so.  
  
She was getting up! She was waving goodnight to her friends and walking out of the room! Harry flung up from the bench, leaving a plate full of food.  
  
"Oi, what's the problem mate?" asked Ron.  
  
"I have to go to bed now" he said unconvincingly, quickly leaving the Great hall in pursue of Ginny. He couldn't let her get to bed before he got there, so he ran until she was in sight. "Ginny!" he called out to her. She stopped abruptly and spun around.  
  
"Oh it's you Harry! You startled me" she said, waiting for him to catch up to her. "What is it?" she asked.  
  
"I just wanted to talk to you about something" he said smoothly. He was impressed by the calmness of his own voice.  
  
"Oh, alright! What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked, as they reached the portrait hole and crawled through. Ginny walked towards the couches and Harry followed, sitting beside her.  
  
"Well I just wanted to explain to you that I." he froze. This was the STUPIDEST idea in the world! What on earth had he been thinking! There was no way this was going to work; he would sound like a complete idiot.  
  
"You what Harry?" she asked. "You wanted to explain to me that you...what?"  
  
"I want to go to Hogmeade with you" he said calmly. What a perfect excuse.  
  
"You.what?" she asked in complete shock. She looked as though the wind had been knocked out of her, and she placed her hand on her throat is disbelief. It suddenly registered in Harry's mind what he had said.  
  
"I mean! Oh no, that's not what...you know" he stuttered, panic stricken. It had just come out! He had said it without even thinking. He hadn't planned to say it, but it had seeped from him uncontrollably.  
  
"I'm not sure I understood you Harry" said Ginny, calmly again. "I think I heard you wrong" she added with a nervous smile. He had to cover it up somehow. There must be a way to conceal what he had meant.  
  
"I said, I'd.well I'd really like it if you'd join me and the others on the next Hogsmeade trip. It's always more fun in a group, and I thought I could treat you all to some Butterbeer!" he rambled quickly. Her face returned to a normal color at his response, although she still seemed rather shaken.  
  
"Oh, yes that would be nice" she replied. "Oh, no but wait.I couldn't, I've made plans to go with Dean this time" she said slowly. Now it was Harry's turn to be shocked. His face turned pale as his mind processed what she had said. Dean had dated Ginny for a short time last year, but they hadn't had anything in common. What called for this sudden reconciliation?  
  
"Oh. That's too bad" Harry said blankly.  
  
"Yeah, really!" she said sheepishly. "It's just that I promised I'd go with Dean. Today he spoke to me about getting back together. He said he misses me a lot, and he's changed a ton. He thinks we'd have much more to talk about nowadays."  
  
"That's nice" he replied, void of any emotion. His mind felt blank. His plan had been to tell Ginny the truth so that he could try to get over her. Instead, he felt more emotion towards her than ever before. He was stricken with jealousy, but he could not let it control him. He had to get over this.  
  
"Well I hope you have a good time" he said, his voice quivering.  
  
"Oh Harry, I mean I'd really have loved to come with you all. I just promised Dean I'd give him another chance" she explained. "I'm not sure what will come of it. I don't know if I want anything to."  
  
"Well I hope you have a good time" he repeated.  
  
"Are you.Ok with that Harry?" she asked, secretly hoping he wasn't. She had only promised Dean because she had been sure Harry would never ask her. She was tired of wasting Hogsmeade trips waiting around for him to extend an invitation. He only wanted her to go with the group of them.this wasn't what she'd hoped for. She had to keep her promise to Dean.  
  
"Yeah, of course" he lied. He wanted to scream 'NO!' a thousand times, but it wouldn't come out. He couldn't find it in him to ruin Ginny's chance with Dean. He would rather it be him accompanying Ginny, but if anyone else, Dean was a great guy. If Ginny was happy with him, Harry would be happy for Ginny.  
  
"Um.I better go to bed now" she said slowly, hiding her  
disappointment. She wanted him to scream that he wasn't ok with it.  
She wanted him to protest with every possible excuse.  
  
"See you in the morning" he replied with a false cheeriness in his  
voice. It felt like Umbridge was back, burning words into his heart  
rather than his hand.  
  
Ginny got up and walked up the stairs, glancing back at him with a little smile and a wave. As soon as he was out of sight, tears started rolling down her face. She tried with all of her strength to hold them back, but as she entered her empty dormitory she started to cry uncontrollably.  
  
She had tried to get over her ridiculous crush on Harry for the past 6 years. By her fourth year she had stared dating other guys in the hopes that they could take her mind off of him. She had obviously cared for those people, but it was never the same. Harry had a hold on her, and she couldn't escape it.  
  
She wiped her tears away with her arm and buried her face in her pillow. She only wanted to know if this had been worth waiting for. What if she dated Harry only to find out that they had no chemistry; that they were obviously not meant to be? But she knew they had chemistry. She could feel it whenever he entered the room.  
  
'He only asked me to go with the group' she told herself. 'He doesn't want me, he only wants to be my friend'. It wasn't fair. 'It must be Ron's fault' she thought. 'No. He has nothing to with this. Harry just doesn't like me' she sobbed.  
  
A quiet knock sounded at the door. Alarmed, Ginny sat up and wiped her face off quickly. Nobody needed to know she'd been crying. "Come in" she called.  
  
"Ginny?" said Hermione's voice as she entered the room. "Ginny, are you ok? What happened?" she asked, concerned by Ginny's puffy red eyes.  
  
"Oh, nothing Hermione" she replied. "It just hasn't been a good day".  
  
"What happened? Did Harry talk to you?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, he did. He just wanted to invite me to join you all in Hogsmeade this weekend. Problem is, I've already promised I'd go with Dean" she said stuffily.  
  
"He asked you to come with all of us?" asked Hermione, slightly confused.  
  
"Yes. Not quite what I'd hoped for, but still an invitation" Ginny mumbled.  
  
"That's strange" Hermione said, still confused. "I could have sworn he was going to ask you as a date. That's how he made it sound at least"  
  
"Really?" said Ginny, hope arising inside of her. Maybe there was still a chance!  
  
"Yes, really. Maybe he's afraid you don't like him back?" Hermione said. "I better go to bed though. We can talk again in the morning" she added, standing up to leave. "And don't worry Ginny, Harry's not the only guy we know who can't take a hint!" she said with a grin and a wink, exiting the room.  
  
Ginny smiled. Hermione's visit had given her new hope. Maybe if she talked to Dean he might understand the situation. It would never work out with him anyways; they still had nothing in common. Maybe after she'd spoken to Dean she could talk to Harry. It was about time she confessed that her feelings for him were still strong. This was his final year; it was her last chance.  
  
................................  
  
Harry lay in bed regretting his entire conversation with Ginny. He shouldn't have talked to her, and he especially shouldn't have invited her to Hogsmeade with him. If she didn't even want to go with the group of them, there was no way she would have gone with him alone. It was a hopeless cause.  
  
He fell asleep only when his mind was peaceful, imagining ways to torture Dean. 


	5. Adorations Revealed

A/N: I've been forgetting to mention that I own nothing but the plot. So here you have it: JK owns everything but the plot. She's one smart lady don't you think?  
  
................................  
  
By the time Friday rolled around, Harry was ready to explode. Quidditch had gone horribly; for the first time in years Harry hadn't caught the snitch. Ravenclaw had beaten them miserably and he knew it was his fault.  
  
Hermione and Ron had been acting strangely, always disappearing and chatting alone. It was like they had vanished into their own little world, a place where Harry didn't exist.  
  
Neville had become very absorbed in his Herbology and was always taking Luna to see some new fascinating new plant that Mme. Sprout was growing. At first Harry tagged along, but plants didn't interest him nearly as much as they did Neville. He couldn't take another day of looking at a Cackling Cactus, and so he looked for another place to be.  
  
It was under these unfortunate circumstances that Harry found himself hanging out with Seamus and Dean. Normally this wouldn't have bothered him in the slightest, but with current situations he felt terribly uncomfortable. His feelings towards Ginny made Harry afraid that he might attack Dean unpredictably. The jealousy was burning inside of him more and more every day.  
  
When Harry had time to sit alone in the common room, his thoughts always drifted to the Order. What was happening with them now? What nasty scheme was Voldemort un-hatching at that very moment? He worried about Lupin, Tonks, Moody and the others constantly. If anything happened to them he feared it would be the last straw. He couldn't handle much more pain in his life.  
  
But pain he felt. It stabbed into him when Ginny walked by chatting with Lavender. It scorched his insides when he spoke to Dean about the Hogsmeade trip. His life was an unfixable disaster. He hadn't felt so low since Sirius' death  
  
On Friday evening things started to look better. Hermione and Ron ate with him and then invited him to come along to work on homework. They sat in the common room chatting continuously, laughing and joking like normal. Harry was positively beaming to have his friends back. It felt like things were going back to the way they ought to be.  
  
"Hey guys! Mind if I join you? I've got loads of Transfiguration homework" Ginny asked from behind the group. Harry stiffened. He hadn't spoken to Ginny since their last chat in the common room. He had finally gotten his mind off of her.  
  
"Sure Ginny! That's what Harry and I are working on too" said Ron cheerfully.  
  
"Thanks" she replied, sitting down beside Harry. Her eyes darted towards his, but he quickly looked away. Why did she want to torture him?  
  
"Ron! Give me back my pen!" squealed Hermione.  
  
"No, it's my pen now" said Ron playfully. Hermione tackled him leaving Harry stuck on the outside again. It had been a simple illusion that things were normal again. Hermione and Ron were flirting and Ginny was here to torture him.  
  
"Harry, could I talk to you later?" Ginny whispered. "I wanted to tell you about something".  
  
"Tell me now" said Harry angrily. He wouldn't spend another night chatting with Ginny by the fire. Every other time had been a waste.  
  
"Please Harry, I can't say it now. It's kind of private" she whispered back.  
  
"Tell me some other time then. I can't tonight. I'm tired" he said grumpily. He felt horrible being mean to Ginny, but there was no other way.  
  
"But.oh fine Harry. Forget about it" she responded bitterly.  
  
Harry closed his book. He couldn't deal with this tonight. He waved goodnight and marched up the stairs to bed.  
  
As he crawled under the soft covers he felt horribly guilty again. Ginny had done nothing to deserve his cruelty. She was a wonderful, amazing person who had always been kind to him. It wasn't fair that he had taken his frustration out on her. He drifted to sleep with plans of apologizing in the morning.  
  
...............................  
  
After Harry and Ron had gone to bed, Ginny and Hermione sat awake in Ginny's dorm. Hermione had decided to move her stuff into this room, and had taken over the deserted bed of one of Ginny's old roommates. Ginny was thrilled to not be alone in the room anymore. All of the other sixth year Gryffindor girls had left Hogwarts for one reason or another.  
  
"He's just confused Ginny. He must think you like Dean instead of him" Hermione started.  
  
"I told you 'Mione, he invited me to go with all of you. He didn't invite me on a date!" Ginny said sharply. "You aren't listening!"  
  
"I am! I just think he meant it to be a date" she argued. "You always come with us. Why would he feel like he needed to invite you this time? He must have choked and changed his story last minute" she explained.  
  
"Hmmm, I guess that's a possibility" Ginny thought aloud.  
  
"That must be it" Hemione agreed, lying down onto her pillow.  
  
They chatted for a few more minutes before drifting off to sleep. Ginny made a mental note to talk to Harry again in the morning.  
  
....................................  
  
After breakfast, Harry realized that the Hogsmeade trip was that day. Hermione, Ron, Neville and Luna planned to meet at the front Entrance of the school.  
  
"I'm not going to come" Harry told Hermione quietly in the common room.  
  
"But Harry you really ought to come!" she argued.  
  
"I'm not." he said firmly.  
  
"Oh alright" she said, accepting defeat. "I'll tell the others you felt sick" she said, and headed out of the room.  
  
Harry flopped down on the couch. A trip to Hogsmeade might have really cheered him up. Maybe he should have gone? But it was too late now, they had already left. He decided to go down to the Great hall to see who had stayed around.  
  
Just then, Ginny emerged from the girl's dormitory stairs still wearing her pajama pants and a big sweatshirt.  
  
"Ginny, you've missed the trip!" he exclaimed. "You must have slept in?"  
  
"I decided not to go Harry. I tried to tell you that last night" she said with a yawn, stretching her arms above her head.  
  
"Oh.about that." Harry began.  
  
"Don't worry Harry. It doesn't matter" she interrupted. "How about a game of wizards chess? Ron's left his set out" she grinned.  
  
"Alright" agreed Harry. They sat down beside each other on the couch, placing the board in the middle. "So, why didn't you go?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"Three reasons" Ginny answered. "Number one: I didn't want to go anymore".  
  
"Oh" said Harry, mildly surprised.  
  
"Number two: Dean didn't want to go with me anymore" she continued.  
  
"What!? Why wouldn't he want to go with you?" Harry demanded.  
  
"Discovered Hannah Abbott's got a crush on him" she said, blushing at Harry's response. "They decided they wanted to go together".  
  
"Ridiculous" said Harry. "And what was number three?"  
  
"Checkmate!" she shouted.  
  
"Because of checkmate?" he asked, extremely confused.  
  
"No Harry!" she giggled. "I've just won" she said, nodding towards the board.  
  
"Oh, already!?" he said embarrassedly. "Well what was the real third reason?" he asked, setting the chess board on the floor. She stared deeply into his eyes for a moment.  
  
"Well..." she said nervously. She was leaning towards him. Catching him off guard, she quickly kissed him. Fireworks erupted in his stomach. She pulled away, blushing bright pink. To Harry, the common room looked more beautiful than ever before.  
  
"It was you Harry" she replied.  
  
. 


	6. Confusion and Catastrophe

"Where's Ginny?" asked Ron, realizing the unusual absence of his younger sister. "I thought she was going to come with us".  
  
"Oh, she had a change of heart." said Hermione casually as they walked into the main street of Hogsmeade. "She didn't feel much like coming this morning."  
  
"Bizarre" he said with a shrug. "Well, at least Harry won't be all." Ron stopped walking. "Hermione!" he exclaimed with realization. "Did Ginny stay because of Harry? I told her not to get involved."  
  
"Oh Ron" Luna said, with her eyes wandering. "You can't tell someone not to get involved with their own destiny." she trailed off dreamily. Ron gave Hermione a questioning look; she shrugged, but smiled.  
  
"Yeah Ron" Neville piped in. "Remember what Trelawny said to you last week?" Ron dismissed the question by shaking his head slowly.  
  
"Sure you do! You thought it was funny, right? When she pointed out the heart in your tea? The leaf.it made that shape. Remember?" Neville quizzed. Ron shook his head steadily.  
  
"Yes!" Neville insisted. "And she said 'Friendship and compassion will emerge as love before the full moon sets! You thought it was funny then, but now Harry and Ginny's friendship."  
  
"Ron" Hermione interrupted bitterly. "You thought it was funny did you?" He was shocked by her sudden aggressiveness.  
  
"I . I don't really remember!" he replied, stumbling on his words. "Besides, Trelawny is always wrong. If I laughed, maybe I was just laughing at the stupidity of it!"  
  
"So it was stupid of her to suggest that friends might become more? Impossible that compassion could lead to something else?" she demanded. Neville and Luna stared at her, as she realized that her reaction was baffling them. "I mean." she stammered. "I mean, you should support your sister's choices!" she concluded. Neville and Luna now reacted with comprehending sighs.  
  
"It's not that I don't support her 'Mione. It's a little weird but I really do, I just never expected it. All along I've been hoping she'd fancy Harry again, and now.well, does she?" he asked pointedly.  
  
"I believe so" she resolved. The four continued walking in silence. Ron and Hermione each stared at the ground, both deep in thought. Neville glanced at Luna and gestured with his head towards the nearby 'Fantastic Herbs & Fungi' shop. She nodded.  
  
"Uh, we'll meet you two later" Neville said to Ron. "They've got a fabulous supply of cackling cactus seeds, and we're running out up at the school" he explained, blushing as Luna grabbed his arm and began dragging him toward to the store. Hermione and Ron continued to walk in silence.  
  
"So" Hermione eventually muttered. "Where do you want to go?"  
  
"Doesn't matter" Ron replied indifferently.  
  
"Well, pick somewhere!" she snapped.  
  
"You know, sometimes you astonish me" he revolted. "Everything will be just grand and we'll be having a lovely time until something sets you off. And something as stupid as me not supporting Ginny? Astounding." he rambled bravely. He finished with a disheveled sigh, regretting the argument instantly when he saw the look on her face. She had stopped walking and was staring at him nearly in tears. "Oh 'Mione, I'm sorry. I never meant to upset you, I just meant that you shouldn't."  
  
"I'm sorry" she said genuinely. "I wasn't really mad about that."  
  
"Are you alright? You're shaking!" he noticed, truly worried by her sudden behavior.  
  
"I'm so confused" she said vaguely. "I need to be alone now" she added, and ran off through the busy crowd.  
  
"Hermione!" he called after her. "Wait, where are you going!?" he yelled, but she had already vanished between people. Nothing made sense with girls.  
  
......................................  
  
Harry sat in the Great Hall eating breakfast alone. Most of the Gryffindors were in Hogsmeade, and the others had already finished breakfast. It was nearly noon, and he'd only just come down to eat. He stared intensely at his bacon, pondering events from the morning.  
  
"Harry" a familiar voice said from behind him.  
  
"Ginny" he said, startled. "I didn't think you'd ever get here".  
  
"Sorry" she said with that magic smile. "I am a girl you know, getting ready takes time and dedication." He grinned back at her. He was bewildered by how everything could suddenly seem so perfect. He knew how quickly it could be swept away, and decided to appreciate every second.  
  
She sat down across from him, and a plate of food appeared in front of her. "Looks good" she said. "I hope everyone is having a good time in Hogsmeade"  
  
"I'm sure they are" he replied confidently. "There's nothing you couldn't like about Butterbeer and great shops". Their conversation continued and they discussed everything that came to mind. Harry loved how easy it was to talk to Ginny, they had more in common than he'd ever imagined. They finished up, and decided to play a game of chess in the common room. Passing Mrs. Norris, they climbed the stairs laughing genuinely.  
  
................................  
  
Hermione poked insistently at the sugar cube floating in her tea. "Stupid.just melt for goodness sakes" she mumbled grumpily. She envisioned the reaction her mother would have if she were to grab the sugar cube and eat it whole. If it wasn't going to melt, she'd just chuck it at the ridiculously happy couples throughout the teashop.  
  
She'd never been to Mme. Puddifoot's before, but the colorful door had caught her eye and she'd rushed in unsuspectingly. How was I supposed to know this was the local hot spot for couples she thought. Oh well. At least Ron wouldn't ever come looking for me in here.  
  
"Hello Hermione" said a dazed voice behind her. She spun around to see Luna standing alone and smiling kindly. "Mind if I join you?" she asked.  
  
"Sit down" Hermione invited with a sniffle. "Where's Neville?"  
  
"Oh, you know" she replied. "About". Hermione knew there was no point in questioning Luna further. Her vague responses weren't bound to get any clearer. She looked back to her now melted sugar cube and smiled at its defeat. Luna was glancing around the room, her eyes darting from couples to the ceiling.  
  
"What brings you here?" Hermione finally enquired.  
  
"You" Luna replied directly.  
  
"How did you know I was here?"  
  
"Ron told me. He asked me to come in and talk to you."  
  
"How did he.why? Why are you supposed to talk to me?"  
  
"He's worried about you. Thinks he's done something terribly wrong; he's quite distraught about it. But I'd like to know what's really going on." Luna said, and her eyes suddenly bore into Hermione's. It wasn't a usual occurrence for Luna to look straight at her and Hermione felt extremely centered out.  
  
"I was just so embarrassed for acting the way I did!" Hermione professed. "I got so emotional about what he said, and he's completely oblivious about my feelings! It wasn't his fault, and I got all mad at him. I was mortified."  
  
"Well he hardly even noticed. He's a boy 'Mione. You've got to tell 'em just exactly what you mean" Luna said waving her hands as she spoke.  
  
"But how?" Hermione pleaded.  
  
"Well, you tell him what your feelings are. Just like that"  
  
"But." she started, distracted by a kissing couple. "That's the problem. How do you say what you feel, if you don't know. I don't want to get upset, it just happens".  
  
"Then you'll have to wait. Give it time to make sense."  
  
"But it's been like this for years. I can't keep acting like this."  
  
"Well, maybe it'll make sense to him before it makes sense to you?" Luna suggested.  
  
"I.I never thought of that. You don't think he feels."  
  
"He's distraught Hermione. Very, very distraught."  
  
"Okay?" she said, lacking any comprehension. But things were suddenly looking brighter. "Luna, thanks. You've made me feel better."  
  
"No problem mate" Luna said, getting up and unexpectedly exiting the shop. Hermione sat staring at the table. She liked Ron. She'd liked him since their third year. She knew it, and she had to stop ignoring it. I've gotten myself confused by trying to block out my feelings she thought. If I just accept it, maybe it can start to make sense. She smiled and reached toward her teacup.  
  
"Want me to take that for you?" Ron said abruptly. "Up to the counter I mean".  
  
"Ron!" she said, startled. "No, sit down for a minute". He hesitantly took the seat across from her, looking - as Luna had said- distraught.  
  
"Ron, I'm sorry I acted so ridiculous earlier. I'm not mad at you at all; none of this was ever your fault. I was just confused about some things, but I think I've got them all figured out now" she quickly concluded and smiled at him. He stared back at her and attempted to take in everything she'd said. Finally, he smiled back.  
  
"Well, I say we put this behind us and enjoy the rest of our day" he said.  
  
"Good thinking" she agreed. "Zonko's?"  
  
"Of Course" he nodded. They both stood up and reached for her teacup, their hands brushing accidentally. Ron took his hand off, but Hermione recognized a distinct shade of pink glowing on his ears. She smiled and brought the cup toward the counter. Things weren't going to be so bad after all. 


End file.
